Sheriff Hodgson issues comments to President after Trump signs veto on national emergency rebuke

Sheriff Hodgson was in the Oval Office with fellow Sheriffs from across the country as President Trump signed his first Presidential veto concerning congressional rejection of his border national emergency on Friday afternoon.

Sherriff Hodgson issued the following comments at the signing.

“Mr. President, I’ve been a sheriff for 21 years, and I’ve been dealing with Congress for 21 years on this issue of immigration. A lot of people have listened over 21 years, but Mr. President, you are the first person who has taken action. And you have given us back our footing in law enforcement, but you’ve also given the American people back what they deserve, which is to be protected.”

“And signing this today, I can’t tell you how much it means to all of us in law enforcement. But, importantly, Mr. President, when I hear people say, “You know, this is all manufactured. It’s all this and that” — no, it’s not.”

“In my county alone, one city, we have on average, on second shift at our hospital in New Bedford, Massachusetts, 15 to 20 overdoses on second shift every day. And this is going on — that’s one example. This is happening all over the country.”

“But, Mr. President, you have stood up and you’ve taken the action. And the American people are behind you and we’re behind you. And thank you and God bless you for what you’re doing.”

The vote in the Senate to rebuke President Trump’s national emergency border declaration was 59-41. It isn’t believed, however, that there are enough votes to override President Trump’s veto.

The President declared the border emergency when Congress wouldn’t grant his demand for more than $5 billion in funding for his border wall.